This Winter’s Recycled Fish “On Ice” Tour Presented by Ice Team: EPIC
OutdoorHub 11.20.12
The Stewardship Ethic advances across the Ice Belt in epic new ways this winter
For the past five years, Recycled Fish has taken the Stewardship Ethic to the best events in ice fishing through the Recycled Fish “On Ice” Tour. This winter, the organization is taking the show on the road in one way: EPIC.
Since 2006, the Recycled Fish “On Ice” Tour has had more than 240 live event days. An estimated 25,000 gallons of trash have been packed off the ice by anglers as a result. Roughly 15,000 catchable-size fish have been returned – alive and swimming – under the ice, that otherwise would not have been. The tour is inspiring and equipping anglers to help steward their waters well.
“We’ve built strong relationships with the best anglers, brands and events in the business over the past five years,” said Executive Director Teeg Stouffer, “and it’s making a difference. Attitudes about stewardship of our waters are changing in great ways. The support from anglers and the industry is fueling what is already proving to be an epic new season for the tour.”
The Recycled Fish “On Ice” Tour has already had preview events at The Dakota Angler Ice Institute in Sioux Falls, S.D., and the Hardwater Expo in Blaine, MN with Midwest Extreme Outdoors.
The tour officially launches at the 20th Annual Progressive Insurance St. Paul Ice Fishing & Winter Sports Expo presented by Clam the weekend of Nov. 30 – Dec. 2.
New this year:
- At the 20th Annual St. Paul Ice Fishing & Winter Sports Expo, visitors will be able to pose for photos in a free interactive, experiential ‘We Are Stewards’ exhibit as they enter the show. By sharing their photos on Facebook and Twitter, anglers could win an Ice Fishing Starter Kit including a shelter, auger and sled from Clam. Also on display will be the Iceaholics Anonymous World’s Largest Tip-Up.
- This winter, when an angler joins Ice Team for just a $5 annual fee, $1 is donated to Recycled Fish. The funds are used to engage, educate and equip anglers to be effective stewards of their local waters.
- Nathan Krusko’s Northeast Ice Fishing has launched a Custom Rod Builders Challenge in which custom rod builders compete to see who will win the votes of both judges and anglers. The rods debut at the St. Paul Ice Show and visitors can cast votes for their favorites at NortheastIceFishing.com all winter. Rods are auctioned to benefit Recycled Fish at the end of the competition.
- New events have been added to the already long list of participating Recycled Fish “On Ice” Tour tournaments and derbies. The Wisconsin Ice Fishing Show, Matt Johnson’s Ultimate Panfish League in Minnesota, Team Extreme Ice Tournaments in Minnesota, Northeast Ice Fishing Circuit in the Northeastern U.S., The Granby Chamber of Commerce Three Lakes Derby in Colorado,Catfish Bay Ice Fish Fest in South Dakota and others now join the long list of premier ice fishing events committed to upholding and spreading the Stewardship Ethic.
- An updated edition of the one-of-a-kind Stewardship On Ice Booklet will be released at the St. Paul Ice Show and available all winter. A shorter tabloid-style Stewards On Ice publication is included in every Ice Team Welcome Kit.
- For the first time, the tour is raising special awareness for Bristol Bay, Alaska. While Alaska boasts America’s longest ice fishing season, Bristol Bay supports the world’s largest runs of wild salmon, steelhead, and trophy rainbow trout. International mining interests have proposed Pebble Mine in the headwaters of Bristol Bay, threatening this amazing place. The gargantuan gold, copper and molybdenum mine, the largest ever built in North America, poses a near-certain risk of polluting Bristol Bay, decimating the fishery – and with it a commercial and sport fishing industry as well as a native way of life.
The Recycled Fish “On Ice” Tour presented by Ice Team is made possible through the support of Ice Team, Clam Corporation, Vexilar, Grabber Warmers,HotSpot Outdoors, the Alaska Conservation Foundation, GS Events, other partners, and individual contributions from concerned anglers. Additional support for the Recycled Fish “Hardwater Open” Tournaments presented byScheels comes from Berkley and Fenwick.
To learn more, see the full schedule of Recycled Fish “On Ice” Tour events, lend your support or register to fish in one of the Hardwater Open Tournaments, visit www.RecycledFish.org/OnIce.
